The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-15
THE PUNISHMENT OF SHARP.

surrounded by his grieving and devoted
family and covering before the gaze of a
| curious multitude while the court pronounces
| the penalty of the law, is a strong and moving
| picture. It is evident that the judge and the
district attorney were touched by the solem-
| nifty Of the scene, but they did not shrink
| from their duty. The sentence of four years
| in the penitentiary and fine of $4,000 is
/ none too severe for Sharp's crime. A strong
effort has been made to get him off on the
| score of his age and feeble health, but it
/ failed as it deserved to. There is a suspicion
as he pretended to be. District Attorney
! MARITIME said two OF three days ago that he did
| not believe he was. ''Of course" added the
| district attorney, che is an old man, and his
/ nerves have had terrible shaking up and
the prospect of Sing Sing is not conducive to
| health. But I'll be bound that were he not
under the shadow of a prison he would be
| playing poker in the Blossom Club as of yore.
| I consider myself humane man, and if it
| could be shown that there any real
| case should be first to ask the court to be
| lenient. But if he is sick he will be better
cared for in Sing Sing than in Ludlow-street
Jail. AS to his age, is it less pitiful to see a
young man just starting out in life, fallen
into vicious ways and sent to pass the prime
of his manhood in convict's cell than it is
for this man who has been VIGOROUSLY court
ing one all his life7" This is spoken like
man who places duty higher than maudlin
sympathy. and District Attorney MARITIME has
shown himself that kind of a man. Judge
Barrett has also done his duty in this cele-
brated case in thoroughly satisfactory man
ner. In spite of the utmost efforts of a
powerful opposition, aided by unlimited means
and corrupt instrumentalities of every kind,
the law has been fully vindicated and a great
criminal has received his deserts. Bribery
has been made odious in New York as it
ought to be everywhere.
There seems to have been an expectation on
the part of Sharp's friends aud sympathizers
that the court would relent and infict a
merely nominal punishment. 1t is easy to
see how this feeling has arisen. Mr.. Sharp
has occupied a different position in society
from that held by the men now in Sing Sing
for having accepted the brides which he
offered them. He was not only wealthy, but
he was, for many years, a respectable citizen
of New York, as respectability is rated in
these days. He had money, and if he was
not too scrupulous about his methods of ac-
cummulatng it no one of his associates inves-
tigated too closely or thought the worse of
him, apparently, when his ways came
casually to their knowledge. 1t was only
when his offenses against law and morals be-
came so glaring that the courts had to take
cognizance of them that public attention
was called to consider the Nervousness of the
acts with which he was charged. Even then
the sentiment aroused was not of the same
character as that excited by the doings of
the aldermen who were his partners in the
crime 1t is unquestionably the case that the
average conscience is not educated up to the
point of regarding the bribe-giver with the
same measure of indignation as that bestowed
upon the bribe- taker, and for this reason, per-
haps as much as the advanced age and the
illness of the accused, an impression that he
would be treated with lenience prevailed in
many quarters. But little serious thought
was necessary to show that this hope rested
upon slight foundations. Judge Barrett has
shown himself to be an official of sternly
judicial mind, and not to be moved by senti-
WELL young or old, Sharp had been proved
guilty of crime, for participation in which
other men were serving terms in prison. To
have Disseminated in his favor by imposing
fine and no imprisonment, or by sending
him to tho penitentiary for few months
only, as it was hoped would be done, would
have been travesty upon justice. It would
not only have nullifed the excellent effect
upon the community which was produced by
the conviction Of the aldermen, but would |
have strengthened the impression that BRIDE
giving is comparatively venial fault. Four
years to man of Jacob Sharp's age is as great |
a punishment, in point Of time, as ten years |
to younger man. In the actual suffering |
which the disgrace of imprisonment entails,
hispunishment is probably greater than that of |
the aldermen, inasmuch as he is man of some
what finer grain, and, so far as that is to be con-
sidered. he Is entitled to q greater measure Of |
pity. The effect upon the community, how
ever, is tho most important matter to be con-
sidered, and there is no question but that it
will be salutary. The lesson taught by the
Jacob Sharp case will not soon be forgotten.
Gov. MARTINS proclamation booming